The present invention relates to electric power usage meters and, in particular, to an electric power usage meter employing digital electronic solid-state technology for accurately and inexpensively determining electrical power usage. The present invention relates to such an electronic electrical power usage meter which is useful both for residential and industrial applications, and with single, dual and other multiphase electrical grids. The invention further relates to methods for electrical power usage measurement.
There is not yet available an electric power usage meter based upon solid-state digital electronic technology that is as accurate or as inexpensive as the electromechanical units currently used. The purchase price of the electromechanical units in large volumes is between $25 and $30 per unit. The cost, reliability and accuracy at both high and low loads has not as yet been matched by present solid-state designs.